Machine and method for applying closures



Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782, 53

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1925 10Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 3 MACHINE AND METHOD FORAPPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 10 Shegts-Sheet 2 x Inn a I u'Euaz 02":

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MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Fiid July 21, 1.92s 10Sheets-Sheet a Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 10Sheets-Sheet 4 'Nov. 25, 1930. o. N. TEVANDER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July'iBl, 1926 10Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov.25,1930. OJN.TEVANDER IAGHINB AND METHOD FOR APPLYINGcnosunns Filed July 21, 1925 III I 10 Shoots-Shut 7 0/ ra zwmd Nov. 25,1930. y o. N. TEVANDER -MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES FiledJuly 21. 1926 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Flt-If Hin mam

' J10 dr Nov. 25, 1930. r o. N. TEVANDER 1,732,553

' 'mcnma AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21. 1926 1oSheets-Sheet 9 zez Nqv. 25, 1930. 0.. TEVANI DER 1,782,553

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING CLOSURES Filed July 21, 1926 l0Sheets-Sheet 10 a QZfi the string to-the cap skirt." The invention is' HPatented Nov. 25, 193(1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ".oLor N. 'rEvANnEn,or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, assIeNonro STANDARD car a SEAL conroRArrIo or cIIcAeo, ILLINOIS, a conro'na rIoN or VIRGINIA MACHINE AND METHOD FORAPPLYING OLOSUBES Application filed July 21,-

' My invention relates to machines and method for applyin closures tocontainers and finds a very usefill embodiment in a machine constructedto apply skirted caps to the beaded mouths of milk bottles, though theinvention is not to be limited to this particular utility. y

In my.Patent'1,431,341, dated October 10,

1922, a machine is disclosed for wrapping string about the skirts ofclosure ca s, such I machine including mechanism where y cli s arepassed about the lapping ends oft e string to fasten these ends to etherwhile the string is taut to maintain t e assembly of the caps and thereceptacles to whose mouth portions the caps are applied. The machine ofmy invention employsmeans for supplying sealingwax or other cementitiousmaterial and is not to be limited to this use in con.-

by means of the cementitious material.

nection wth any particular means or con- 1920." Serial No. 12am.

this'portion to cool, and thereafter apply the remainder of the quantitythat is to be suplied' and allow this remainder to cool. hese twoapplications of sealing wax will permit of a quicker completion of thecycle of operations in which cycle of operations the sealin of thestring ends in included. By this ouble application of the sealing wax,the area occupied by the a gregate mass of the applied wax is materia lyrestricted,

it being apparent that if the wax is. applied in one operation'that itwill unduly spread.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with theaccompany- 1ng drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of the preferredform of machine, parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a. view of apart of the mechanism s own in Fig. 1 in the direction of arrow 2; Fig.3 is a view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4' is a view on line structionwhereby the skirts may be held inf44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view on 1ine55 contracted relation about the necks of bottles .The machine of mypresent invention is preferably inclusive of mechanism whereby cement isapplied to end portions of the string that is placed about the skirt ofthe closure cap from a source-of supply which is provided inconnection'with the machine. The machine also desirably serves to cement not to .belimited to the cementing of string portions together nor tothehcementing-of string portions to the cap skirt, as the inventioncontemplates'the use of wax or other cementitlous materialm any mannerWh1Ch is suited to the nature of the closure that is cool quicklyenough" if operation in sufficient strands of other. material and shapemay be used. 4 The cement employed is desirably A sealing wax which isblown upon the strin after the string has 'been' passed around the skirtof ajbottle"cap.' Sealingwax will not .it is applied in one of Fig. 1;Fig. 6 1s a view on line 6-6 of 10-10 of Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is a sectionalview" Fig. 1; Fig. 7 and Fig. 7', taken together, il-

on line 1111 of Fig. 1 with parts in changed p ositions; Fig. 12' is aview on line 1212 of ig. 1 with parts in changed positions; Fig. 13 isa, view on line 13-13 of Fig. 12; Fig.14 is a view on line 1414 of Fig.13, with parts omitted and someparts shown in full; Fig. 15 is a viewlooking in the direction of arrow 15, Fig. -13;' Fig. 16 is anenlargement of a part of Fig. 13; Fig.1? is a sectional view on line17-17 of Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a view-similarto Fig. 12 with partsom'tted, broken away and in changed ositions; Fig. 19 is a view on line19.19 0 Fig. 12; Fig. 20 is a sectional view on line 2020 of Fig. 18;Fig.-

quantity to hold the :line 22- -22 of Fig. 21; Fig. 23 is a sectionalstring ends together. I, therefore, apply a view on line"23=23 of Fig.21; Fig." 24 isa portion oil thei'total quantity of sealing wax. view inelevation of the upper portion ofthe thatiste-"be placed. vjufpon thestrir g, allow bottle illustratinga cap appliedto a bottle mouth by astring fastened by the machine of my invention; and Fig. 25 is asectional view on line 25-25 of Fig. 24.

The bottles 1 are suitably supplied to a stationary deck 2 carried uponposts 3 which are supported by the base 4 of the machine. These bottleshave caps 5 initially loosely applied thereto, these caps beingdesirably constructed as disclosed in United States Patent 1,117,147,dated November 10, 1914. The skirts of these caps are to be tightenedabout the bottle necks by the machine of my invention so as to underliethe beads 6 about the bottle mouths. The bottle, with the loose capsthereon, are fed through the chute 7 in position to be engaged by theteeth of the star wheel 8 which serve to continue the travel of thebottles as they leave the chute and to direct the same individually ontothe vertically adjustable sections 9 of a disc-like table 10, thesetables sections being the preferred form of bottle positioners.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for operating the variousoperating elements that are located above the deck 2. In the embodimentof the invention illustrated, an electric motor 11 may be employed foroperating a main drive shaft 12. Power is transmitted to this driveshaft at adjustable speed through the interm'ediation of any suitablespeed changing gearing 13. The shaft 12 has a worm 14 thereon which isin mesh with a worm wheel 15. This worm wheel is fixed upon a shaft 16on which there are also fixed the spur gear 17 and the table 10. Theshaft 16 is journaled at its upper end in a sleeve bearing 16 carried bythe spider 16 which is mounted upon the upper ends of the rods 16 thatare secured at their lower ends upon the base 4. This spur gear is inmesh with another spur gear 18'that is fixed upon a shaft 19 upon whichshaft is also fixed the star wheel 8.

The bottle supporting table 10 is constantly turned and while turning,the sections 9 thereof are gradually elevated from the plane, proper, ofthe table and gradually restored to this plane, the final capping opera-.tion that is to be described occurring when said table sections are intheir upper limits of their movements.

I provide a stationary cam track 20 upon which cam rollers 21 travel, torise and fall. Each table section 9 is assembled with a cam roller so asto rise and fall therewith. As illustrated, each table section 9 iscarried at the upper end of a spring barrel 22. A piston 23 is withinthe lower end of the spring barrel and is normally held in fixedrelation therewith by means of a spring 24 which abuts at its lower endupon the piston and at its upper end against the top end wall of thespring barrel. A link 25 connects each piston 23 with one end of a bellcrank 26 upon whose elbow the corresponding cam roller is journaled. Theother end of this bell crank is pivoted upon arm 27 depending from abearing support 28 which is fixed upon the shaft 16 and is located belowthe table 10.

I As the shaft 16 turns, the cam rollers move bodily therewith over thecam track 20 to elevate and lower the table sections 9 to enable thesetable sections to function. As the shaft 16 and the parts thereon turn,the spring barrels 22 rise and fall due to the normally fixed relationof the piston 23 therewith. These spring barrels are guided in theirmovement by bearings 29 in the bearing support 28. If, in the finalcapping operation, the bottles should encounter undue strain, thesprings 24 will yield to prevent the bottles from breaking, the pistons23 then rising in the spring barrels.

A support 30 is in normally fixed relation with the shaft 16. Thissupport has splined connection with the shaft 16 as indicated at 31whereby it may be permitted movement lengthwise of the shaft. A bevelgear 32 has a nut formation 32 screwed upon the shaft 16 and has tongueand groove connection with the support 30 so that this support may beelevated and lowered along the shaft. A bracket 33 is carried by thesupport 30 and carries one bearing for the shaft 34 of the bevel pinion35, the other bearing 36 for this shaft being provided in the support30. The outer end of the shaft 34 is squared, Fig. 1, so that the bevelpinion 35 may be turned by hand to turn the bevel gear 32 that meshestherewith to turn nut 32' to elevate or lower the support 30. By thismeans, the chucks'37 which are carried by the support 30 through theintermediation of mechanism to be described, and which are provided toreceive the tops of the bottles, may be elevated or lowered to suit theheights of the bottles being operated upon by the machine. Each tablesection 9 has a chuck 37 individual thereto and in vertical alignmenttherewith, each such table section and the chuck corresponding theretocooperating to hold a bottle therebetween. A tapering guide 38 isinterposed between each table section 9 and the chuck 37 individual tothis table section, the guides being carried by brackets 39 that arecarried by the support 30. The guides 38 serve to direct the upper endsof the bottles into the chucks 37 and also to gather the skirts of thecaps about the bottle necks preparatory to the application of thetightening rings or hands about such cap skirts, in case these skirtsflare too much.

Each cycle of operations occupies one revolution of the shaft 16 andsupport30 and commences with the deposit of a bottle upon the tablesection 9 that is to receive it. After the bottle has been received uponthe table section 9 that is to carry it, the table 10 and the tablesections 9 turn a few degrees before the particular table section 9, inquestion, commences to rise to permit of some preparatory mechanicalautomatically efiected adjustments. The bottle, in-bein'gyraised, hasits mouth end brought snugly into the chuck37 overlying the tablesection 9 that carries such bottle. The bottle raises a solid plunger 40which extends into the chuck 37. Each plunger has a stem 41 which ismounted to slide in a sleeve 42 whichrotates in vertically alignedbearings 43 and 44. Each bearing 43 is held in place by a set nut 45which passes through a sleeve 46. This sleeve 46 is an integral part ofa bracket 47 which is bolted upon the top side of the support 30. When aplunger 40 is raised by the bottle beneath it, the upper end'of theplunger'stem'tl lifts the floating disc 48 that is coaxial with theplunger and the plunger stem. The disc 48 carries.

three upright pins 49 that slide within guiding holes formed in theinturned upper end of the extension 50 of sleeve 42. The upper ends ofsaid pins thereupon lift the collar 51 which is loose upon the shaft 52which is coaxial with and fixed with respect to the sleeve 42, thisshaft being directly fixed upon the upper end of the sleeve extension50. The groove of the collar 51 receives pins 53 provided upon the yokelever 54 which is intermediately pivoted upon the shaft 55 that isjournaled at the top end of the bracket 47. There is such 'a stituting apart of a string or wire winding mechanlsm, there belng as many suchwinding itself carries pins 69 that are received within an annulargroove formed in the clutch coltable section 9 from the time this tablesection has received a bottle and until such table section is about toberaised by the cam track 20. To this end, the sleeve 59 carries a cam'member 59 which rides upon the roller 59 carried by the bracket 59--which, in turn, is carried upon the normally stationary gear ca1rier,59This gear carrier .is supported lever 54 at each bottle position, eachlever conmechanisms as there are bottle positions. The

base end of each yoke lever 54 carries an abut ment 5,6 which is pressedupon by an upwardlv spring pressed upright pin plunger 57. The spring 58which presses upwardly upon the pin '57 is bottomed at itslowerend uponthe sleeve 59 which is slidable upon the pin 57 and presses at its upperend, upon the yoke 60 which is secured to the pin 57 and to the uprightrod 61 which is 'slidable within bearing sleeves 62 and 63. carried bythe bracket 47. When the plunger stem 41 is raised, the lever yoke 54 isturned clockwise to depressthepin 57 against the force of the spring 58.When this depressed, the rod 61 is depressed. The adjustable nut 64 uponthe'rod 61 thereupon Dresses, at its lower end upon one end of the bellcrank 65 which is pivoted at its elbow upon the bracket 47. The otherend of the bell crank is thereupon withdrawn from -en-. gagement withthe detaining lug-66 which is provided upon the upper end of the sleeve59. The 'bellcrank lever 65, which thus functions as a detent normallyto hold the sleeve 59 in its upper position, is withdrawn from itsdetaining position by the downward movement of the rod 61 to permit thespring 58 to depress the sleeve 59. This adjustment of the bell cranklever is effected against the force of the restoring spring 67 which isanchored at one end to the bracket 47 v A yoke 68 is carried by thesleeve 59 and upon the non-rotating sleeve 59 to which it is keyed, avthrust ball bearing structure 59' intervening between the lower end ofthe sleeve ,and the support 30. A ring 59" is screwed upon the lower endof the sleeve and a' collar 59 is secured upon the support 30 andoverlies the ring to keep the sleeve 59 1" rom rising. This sleeve isheld from rotating by means of a pin 59 depending from the bearing 16.and which passes through and is in sliding relation with an arm 59provided upon the sleeve 59 The members 70 and 72 are thus positivelyseparated at the initiation of a cycle and are permitted to be engagedwhen the corresponding table section 9 rises providing there is a bottleupon this table section. If there is no bottle, the clutch niember 7Owill be held elevated by the detent lever 65 so that the cycle ofoperations, which is commenced by the inter-action of the elements 59and 59 is not completed if the bottle is absent. When the clutch collaror member 70 is moved downwardly into clutching engagement withthe'clutch member 72, a result which occurs when a bottle lifts thecorrespondingplunger 40, said clutch collar is turned by said clutchmember 72 to turn the sleeve 42. v The clutch jme'mber 72 which is thusemployed to drive the sleeve 42 is turnedone and one-half times by thetime the support 30 has turned a hal of a revolution and is turned ahalf of a revolution during, approximately, the lastone-sixth of the,

revolution of said support 30, all as will more I fully hereinafterappear.

. The sleeve 421s provided for winding a strand of string or wire 73about the skirts of bottle caps. The string is directed upon the skirtsby being passed through a nozzle v 74 which is carried upon the portion42' of" sleeve The discharge end of; the nozzle is located sutficientlyaway-tro'in the axis of l'il the plunger stem 42 as to enable thenozzle, in being revolved around the bottle cap, to suitably apply thestrand 73 to the skirt thereof. Each chuck 37,'which is individual toeach table section 9, has .a string winding mechanism individualthereto. Each string winding mechanism has a reel 75 which is journaledupon the upright shaft 76 that is coaxial with the shaft 52, the shaft76 being secured to the upper end of a yoke 77 whose lower end issecured to the shaft 52 whereby the two shafts turn together with thesleeve 42. A spring 78 abuts against a washer 79 which is positioned bya nut 80 screwed upon the upper end of the corresponding shaft 76. Thelower end of said spring 78 presses down upon the disc 81 that bearsagainst the upper side of the reel 75 to hold the lower side of the reelagainst the flange 82 of the yoke 77. The reel 75 is thus prevented fromturning with respect to the shafts 76 and 52 any faster than it is soturned by the string 73 being withdrawn therefrom. The spring 78 alsotakes part in adjusting the tension upon the string being wound aboutthe bottle cap, the adjustment of the spring determining the degree oftightness of the winding of the string about such cap. The string 73 ispassed from the corresponding reel 75 over the idler pulleys 83, 84carried by the bracket 85 which is an integral part of the yoke 77. Thestring, after having left the idler pulley 84, is passed through theupright guiding tube 86 which is fixed with respect to the sleeve 42 andwhich .passes through this sleeve and the shaft 52. Said tube isdisposed alongside of the axis of rotation of said sleeve and is locatedbetween this axis and the nozzle 7 4. The string, after issuing from thelower end of the tube, passes over the idler pulley 87 which isjournaled upon the sleeve 42. The string, after having passed throughthe pulley 87, passes over the guiding lug 88 carried by the nozzle 74,this lug directing the string through the nozzle outlet opening 89. Thestring, where it is about to enter the nozzle end 89, is pressed againsta side of the nozzle by the block 90 which, in turn, is pressed upon bythe leaf spring 91.

By mechanism to be presently described, the leading end portion of thestring which has passed through the nozzle, is clamped between themembers 92 and 93 which constitute an anchorage for this leading end ofthe string in order that the string may be held. at one. end, during therotation of the nozzle, about the corresponding bottle neck, the'stringthus remaining clamped while the nozzle turns one and one-half timesabout the bottle neck. The nozzle and the clamp thus constitute strandholders. The clamping action effected bythe members 92, 93 isaccomplished atv the initiation of a cycle of operations and during thetime that the members 59', 59 interact to separate the clutch members 70and 72. The clamping member 93 is stationary, being desirably part ofthe stationary tapering guide 38. The clamping member 92 is upon one endof a lever 97 which is intermediately journaled upon a shaft 98 that isitself journaled in bearings 99, 100 carried by the brackets 47 and 39respectively. An arm 101 is fixed upon the shaft 98. The stem of a bolt102 passes through the lever 97 and the arm 101 and is surrounded by aspring 103. This spring has one end in engagement with a washer 104which is adjustable in position by a nut screwed upon the stem of thebolt. The other end of the spring engages the arm 101 and presses thehead of the bolt against the lever 97. The spring, when permitted tofunction, operates through the bolt, lever and arm to apply the clampingmember 92 to the string. One end of a lever arm 105 is secured to thetop end of the shaft 98 and carries a cam roller 106 at its other end.This cam roller enters a cam slot 107 formed in a normally stationaryearn 108 which is carried by the upper end of the non-rotating sleeve59*". This cam slot is so shaped that the clamping member 92 will beapplied just as soon as the cycle of operations is initiated and willremain applied until after the overlapping string ends are waxed orcemented together and the cement or wax is hardened. The string issevered, at the nozzle, just before the clamping member 92 is released,which release occurs upon the arrival of the cam roller 106 at asuitably shaped portion of the cam slot 107 as indicated in Fig. 4. Whenthe nozzle has been turned once and a half times about the bottle neck,the cementing or waxing device is brought into operation, as will laterappear.

The gearing for turning the clutch member 72 which turns the sleeve 42through the intermediation of the clutch members 70 and 72, as hithertodescribed, is inclusive of a spiral gear 109 fixed upon and coaxial withthe clutch member 72, a spiral gear 110 meshing with the gear 109 andfixed upon a shaft 111 which is journaled at its ends in the bracket 47that bodily rotates with the support 30 carrying it, and the stationarysegmental spiral rack .12 which is coaxial with the shaft 16 and whichis carried by the normally stationary gear carrier 59. A spa eintervenes between the entering end of the rack 112 and the gear 110 atthe commencement of the cycle of operations so that there will be norotation of the nozzle 74 while the bottle is being elevated. The gear110 is positively held from rotation until it enters into mesh with therack 112 by means of the 5 stationary feather 113 which passes through aradial slot in said gear. Previously to the meshing of the gear 110 withthe rack 112. the clutch members 70 and 72 were engaged by the action ofthe elevated bottle. If there 5 happens to be no bottle inplace upon aparticular table section 9, the clutch members and 72 will not becoupled so that there will be no rotation at all of the nozzle duringthe travel of said table section 9- owing-to the separation of saidclutch members. A thrust ball bearing structure 114 is interposedbetween the clutch member 72 and the support 30, another thrust ballbearing structure 115 is interposed between the support 30 and theenlargement 42' of the sleeve 42, and a third thrust ball bearingstructure 116 is interposed between the sleeve enlargment 42" and thetop of the chuck 37. The ball bearing structure 116 prevents therotating sleeve 42 from turning the chuck 37, the rotation of the bottleby said sleeve 42 thus being prevented. It is understood that the cycleof operations commences at the left hand side of'the constantly rotatingsupport 30. The nozzle revolving operation ceases'when said support 30has about completed one-half of a revolution, that is, when the gear 110leaves the stationary rack 112 whereupon said gear receives anotherstationary feather 117 to guard against incidental rotation of said ear.g By mechanism which will be presently described, the lapping orcrossing portions 'of the string that has been passed about a bottle capare cemented together. The cement employed is desirably one which willfuse in response to heat, such as sealing wax, as indicated at 118 inFig. 24. The string is preferably non-metallic, particularly if thecement is in the nature of sealing wax.

I will first describe the mechanism that is employed to direct the flowof sealingwax or other cement upon the string after it has been appliedto a bottle cap and the means by which the cement is prepared for itsapplication to the string. The wax is received in a pot 119 which isheatedby electrical resistance units 120 in close proximity to the pot,

as illustrated most clearly in Fi s. 12 and 19. The pot is carried bythe yo e 121, being positioned upon this yoke by the upright rods 122 onthe yoke that pass through eyes 123 formed upon the pot. The yoke 121 iscarried by the clamps 121' which are clamped upon two of the rods 16 inorder that the heightof the pot may be suited to the level of thebottles being operated upon. The pot carries two nozzles 124 and 125which are positioned to direct the heated sealing wax upon the string 73where this string crosses, the nozzle 124 supplying a portion of thetotal sealing wax that is to be applied to the string and the nozzle 125supplying the remainder of the sealing wax that is tobe applied to thestring, the preferred form of product being illustrated in Figs. 24 and25. The nozzles are. in the form of sleeves having inturned dischargeends where the"- nozzle orifices 124, 125' are provided. These sleevesenclose plugs 126, 127 which have spiral passages in their outersurfaces as indicated most clearly at 128 in Figs. 13, 14, 16 and 17. Aspace intervenes between the front or delivery end of each spiralpassage and the corresponding discharge orifice. The melted sealing waxwhirls in this space in a somewhat solid mass instead of sprayed form sothat it will issue through the nozzle orifice in a somewhat solidstream, instead of in a spray. The flow of the melted or fluid waxthrough the orifices is promoted and directed by the truncated conicalontapering portions upon the front ends of the plugs, one of theseconical portions 129 being shown in full lines in Figs. 13, 14, 16 and17 and the other conical portion 130 being shown in dotted lines in Fig.14. The nozzle orifices 124', 125' are of narrow elongated form and thenozzle sleeves 124, 125 are mounted in such relatively adjustedpositions, in view of the distance the wax must travel between thenozzles .and a bottle and in view of the tendenc of the wax to whirl orrotate during such travel, that the wax will be applied to the string inthe form of an oval whose major axis is in the plane ofv the string,this result being furthered by the cooperation of the truncated conicalportions 129 and 130 as they are related to the nozzle-orifices. The waxpot 119 has a' revolving bottom 131 coaxial with the pot. This bottom isfixed upon and turns with an upright shaft 132 which is journaled uponbearings 133 carried by the bracket 134 which, in turn, is carried bythe yoke 121. The shaft 132 carries a collar 135 which is pressedupwardly by a spring 136 which surrounds the shaft, the lower end ofthis spring being bottomed upon the lowerlone of-the two bearings 133.The spring thus serves automatically to compensate for any wear upon thetop of the 139 formed upon the interior of the pot and,-

when any two pockets are thus covered, they communicate at their outerends with the outlets 140 in the 'pot,which outlets are in communicationwith the spiral grooves 128 in the aforesaid plugs 127. The inner endsof the pockets that are covered by the closures 139 are in communicationwith the air passages 141 and 142 to which air is supplied underpressure from the pipes 143 and 144 that convey air from the pressuretank 145.

By mechanism which will be presently described, the air is firstdirected through the pipe 143 and the nozzle 124 to furnish a part ofthe wax for the overlying string whereafter the air is directed throughthe pipe 144 and is cut off from the pipe 143, the air passing throughpipe 144 directing the remainder of the wax that is to be applied uponthe string. After the two pockets that are covered by the closures 139are thus emptied, the ratchet wheel 137 is turned another step, in thenext cycle of operations, to replace the two filled pockets in theirassociation with the nozzles and the air pipes.

The preferred form of mechanism for operating the ratchet wheel and forregulating the flow of air through the pipes 143, 144 will now bedescribed. This mechanism includes a master cam 146 which serves tooperate the mechanism, this master cam being provided upon the yoke 68,vertically movable in the manner hitherto described, whereby it islowered to an operative position if there is a corresponding bottle inplace and is held raised from this operative position if there is nocorrespondng bottle in place so that, in the latter event, no wax willbe blown during the complete revolution of the support 30 that occursduring the operation cycle pertaining to such revolution which isrendered incomplete due to the absence of the bottle. \Vhen the yoke 68has been lowered as a consequence of the presence of a bottle on thetable section 9 beneath it, the master cam 146 is lowered into the zoneof the cam rollers 147 and 148 upon the lever 149 which is securedbetween its ends to the pin 150 that is journaled in bearings 151-carried by the bracket 152. This bracket is secured upon the rods 122 bythe set bolts 153 and is also secured upon two of the rods 16 by meansof clamps 152' which are similar to clamps 121. As will hereinafterappear, when the master cam 146 engages the cam rollers 147, it turnsthe lever 149 clockwise to turn the ratchet wheel 137 a tooth space andto admit wax ejecting air to the pipe 143. When the master cam 146operates upon the cam roller 148, the lever 149 is turnedcounterclockwise to admit wax ejecting air to the pipe 144, the ratchetwheel 137 then being held stationary by the action of the spring 136.

The end of the lever 149 which is adjacent the cam roller 148 isconnected by means of a link 154 with one end of the lever arm 155 whoseother end is secured to the shaft 156 which is journaled in the bearing157 formed upon bracket 152 and the bearing 158 upon the support 159which also carries the wax pot 119, this pot being bolted to the supportby the bolts 160. The support 159 is also secured to the rods 122, bymeans of the set bolts 161. Another lever arm 162 is also fixed upon theshaft 156. As the gear 110 is about leaving the rack 112, the cam 146 isbrought into engagement with the roller 147 to place the parts in theposition shown by full lines in Fig. 11 and as illustrated in Fig. 12.When the parts are being placed in this position, the lever 162 isturned in a clockwise direction whereby the rod 163 which, is pivotallyconnected to an extension 162 of the lever 162, is pulled upon to drawthe flange 164 upon said rod 163 against one end of the spring 165 whoseother end is bottomed upon the arm 166 that is integrally formed with abell crank lever 167 which is journaled at its elbow upon the shaft 156.The lever 167 is thus moved, through the intermediation of the spring165, in a clockwise direction, whereby the actuating pawl 168 operatesupon the ratchet wheel 137 to move this wheel a tooth space whereby thewax receiving pockets 138 that were emptied upon the previous cycle ofoperations are moved from their connections with nozzles 124, 125 andthe pipes 143 and 144 and whereby the succeeding pockets, which arefilled with hot wax, are placed in connection with said nozzles andpipes in substitution for the emptied pockets. The pawl is held inengagement with the ratchet wheel by the spring 169 which is connectedat one end with the pawl and at the other end with the lever 167. Thebell crank lever 167 should be limited to a normally fixed range ofarcuate movement in order that the ratchet wheel may be turned exactlyone tooth space each time it is operated by the pawl so that the waxholding pockets that are newly brought into connection with the nozzlesand the pipes are accurately positioned.

To this end, the lever 167 is provided with an abutment post 170 whichengages the fixed abutment 171 upon the support 159. The post 170 isdesirably in the form of a bolt in order that it may be adjusted. Afterthe ratchet wheel 137 has thus been turned to a new position, the lever162 cominues its clockwise movement, being permitted so to do by meansof the spring 165 which thus constitutes a yielding coupling between thelevers 162 and 167. ing of the ratchet wheel to its new position for thepurpose stated, a valve 172 is opened, this valve being included in thepipe 143 that supplies wax ejecting air under pressure from the tank 145to the wax holding pocket that is in communication with the nozzle 124.This valve is inclusive of a spring 173 which constrains the valve to aclosed position and the stem 174 which is engageable by a post 175carried by the outer end of the lever arm a 162. As hitherto stated, thevalve is opened after the ratchet wheel has been moved to its newposition, the engagement of the post 175 with the valve stem 174occurring after this turning movement of said Wheel. Dur- Following thepositioning the initial portion of the engagement of the gear 110,employed in the cycle under description, with the feather 117, the waxsupplied to the string where lapped or crossed uponthe cap skirtisallowed to cool. A little later and still during the engagement ofsaid gear 110 with said feather 117, the valve 176, which is included inthe pipe 144, is opened to permit air under pressure to pass throughthis pipe to eject wax through the nozzle 125 upon the patch of waxpreviously applied to the string through the nozzle 124. The lever 162is moved counterclockwise to, release the valve 172 and open the valve17 6 by the cam 146 when this cam reaches and operatively engages thecam roller 148. v

The mechanism of valve 176 is similar to the mechanism of valve 172,there being a spring 177 which constrains the valve 176 to a closedposition, the valve 176 havin a stem 178 which is engageable by a post 19 upon the lever 162 when this lever is moved counter clockwise asstated. The posts 175 and 179 are adjustable in order to secure propertiming in the operation ofthe valves. The

master cam 146 escapes the cam roller 148 while-the gear 110 employed inthe cycle being described is still in engagement with the feather 117,the spring 177 then being permitted to close the valve 176. While theaforesaid gear 110 is still in engagement with the feather 117, thesecond portion of wax that was applied to the string has time to cool.The cap skirt desirably has noihing upon it except the string thatsurrounds it and the wax which is allowed to spread upon the cap skirtso that the wax not only serves to cement the lapping or crossingportions of the string together but also to secure the string to the capsothat the string may not be shifted with respect to the ca withoutdetection. I do not wish to be limited to the cementing of lappingportions of the string to each other since it is obvious that the stringmay be cemented to the cap skirt. without having lapping or crossingportions of the string cemented to each other. 1

While I'have illustrated the use of'selfhardening .wax for securing 1the lapping ends of the strin together, and for securing the string to te'cap, I do not wish to be limitled to this, form of 'cementitiousmateria The mechanism for severing the string is inclusive of a normallystationary knife 180 and a swinging knife 181, these two knives togetherconstituting a pair of shears. Both knives are carried upon the post 182which is provided upon the-end of a lever 183 which is journaled u on ashaft 184 carried upon a bracket 185 w ich is carried by a yoke 186.

This yoke is carried by clamps 187 that are clamped .upon two of thebars 16 whereby the shearsmay be adjusted vertically to suit the arm ofthe knife 181 between the stops 189, 190 is moved into contact with thestop 189 with the result that the knife 181 isrotated on its pivot 188and thus caused tocooperaie with the stationary knife 180- to sever thestring which is received between the two knives. When the strin has beensevered, the aforesaid arm of kni e 181 is moved into contact with stop190, causing knife 181 to swing away from knife 180. The two knives arenormally withdrawn from the path of the string and are positioned toreceive the string between them when the string is to be out.

To this end, the lever 183 which carries the knives is controlled by thespaced apart cams 192 and 193, these cams being provided upon therotating support 30. The cam 192 first engages the cam extension 194 ofthe lever 183 to swing the knives into a position in which the stringwill be between them whereupon the knives are brought together in themanner described and as illustrated in Figs. 22 and 23. When the stringhas been cut,

the knives are together moved to their outer position away fromthe'string, thelever 183 being suitably swung for this purpose by thecam 193 which engages the cam 195' fixed upon the shaft 184 upon whichthe lever 183 is fixed.

' Very shortly after the knives have been withdrawn, the gear 110 leavesthe feather 117 whereupon this gear engages the arcuate segmental gearrack 196 which is carried by the gear carrier 59 and is in the sameplane with the rack 112. During this en agement of the gear with therack 196, t e nozzle is turned a half revolution to bring the end g ofthe strin projecting'from the nozzle between the c amping members 92 93whereupon this string 'end iscl'amped in t e manner hitherto described,this clamping oper'a" -i;: tion occurring'upon'the initiation of thenext 5 cycle. After the string cutting operation and before thisclamping of the strin is effected,

the table section 9- carrying the ottle operated upon is lowered andthe-bottle is dis? charged from the machine, this discharge of.

the bottle being the conclusion of the cycle of operations underdescription. Thls bottle is discharged b one of the teeth of the starwheel 197 whic star wheel is secured to the table 10. The tooth of" thestar wheel that engages this. bottle forces the bottle to leave thetable 10 and causes the bottle to enter the chute 198 that directs thebottle upon the deck 2 from which the bottle may be moved by anattendant.

lVhi-le the machine herein disclosed includes a bottle positioning tablemember which travels with respect to a point in space to bring thebottle to various stations where the various operations may beperformed, it is obvious that the invention involves the travel of thebottles relative to the mechanisms that whether the bottles travel withrespect to a point in space or said mechanisms so travel.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirtedclosure cap; of mechanism for applying a contracting strand to the skirtof the cap; a source of cementitious material; mechanism for applyingcementitiousmaterial from said source to end portions of the strand; andmechanism for applying additional cementitious material from said sourceupon the previously applied cementitious material, said positioner andmechanisms being relatively movable into cooperative relation.

2. The combination with a pot having a rotatable bottom formed withcircularly distrlbuted pockets in its top side; of two closurespositioned above said ,pot bottom, each for covering a pocket and oflimited extent to allow other pockets to be open to receive materialfrom the pot; two nozzles, each in communication with the passage thatis indivldual thereto and which is adjacent said pot bottom and whichpassage has a receiving end posltioned to communicate with thecorrespondmg covered pocket; piping for conveymg air under pressure andhaving discharge ends positioned to communicate with the coveredpockets, these pockets being thrown out of communication with saidpiping and the nozzle to which they pertain upon turning movement ofsaid pot bottom; and alternately operable valves for controlling theadmiss1on of air to the covered pockets.

3. The combination with a pot having a bottom ad ustable in position andformed wlth distributed pockets in its top side; of twoclosures'positioned above said pot bottom, each for covering a pocketand of limited extent to allow other pockets to be open to recelvematerial from the pot; two nozzles, each in communication with thepassage that is individual thereto and which is adjacent said pot bottomand which passage has a receiving end positioned to communicate with thecorresponding'covered pocket; piping for conveying air under pressureand having discharge ends positioned to communicate with the coveredpockets, these ockets being thrown out of communication with said pipingand the nozzles to which they perperform the various operations,

tain upon movement of said pot bottom; and alternately operable valvesfor controlling the admission of air to the covered pockets.

4. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirtedclosure cap; of mechanism constructed to contract the cap skirt aboutthe neck of the bottle; and pneumatic means to apply cementitiousmaterial upon the cap skirt, where contracted, said positioner andmechanisms being relatively movable into cooperative relation.

5. The combination with a positioner for a bottle having a skirtedclosure cap; of mechanism constructed to contract a strand about theskirt of the cap; and pneumatic means to apply cementitious materialupon adjacent portions of the strand, said positioner and mechanismsbeing relatively movable into cooperative relation.

6. In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, a bottlepositioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, means to impartrelative movement between said positioner and said mechanism, meansoperating in one relative position of sald positioner and mechanism tocause the latter initially to apply a patch of cementitious material tosaid cap, and means operat ng in another relative position of saidposltioner and mechanism to cause the latter to apply a second patch ofcementitious material upon the patch first applied.

7 In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, a bottlepositioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, and meansautomatically operable to cause said mechanism initially to apply apatch of cementitious material to said-cap and subsequently to apply asecond patch of cementitious material upon said first patch.

8. In a machine for securing closure caps upon bottles, a bottlepositioner, a source of cementitious material, means for applyingcementitious material in a patch upon said cap, and means predeterminingthe amount of cementitious material applied by said first mentionedmeans.

9-. In a machine for securing skirted closure caps upon bottles, abottle .positioner, cementitious material applying mechanism, means toimpart relative movement between said positioner and said mechanism,means operating in one relative position of said positioner andmechanism to cause the latter initially to apply a patch of cementitiousmaterial to said cap, and means operating in another relative positionof said positioner and mechanism to cause the latter to apply a secondpatch of cementitious material upon the patch first applied, part ofeach of the two last mentioned means forming part of the other of suchmeans. i

10. In a machine for securing closure cap upon bottles by means ofcementitious material, a positioner for a bottle having a closure capapplied thereto, and means operating pneumatically to apply cementitiousmaterial to said cap.

11. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirtedcap over the mouth of the bottle, contracting a strand about the capskirt, connecting the ends of the strand by applying a patch ofcementitious material thereu on, and applying a second patch ofcementltious matenal upon the first patch applied after the latter hasset or hardened.

12. The method of sealing a bottle which consists in placing a skirtedcap over the mouth of the bottle, contracting a strand about the cap,skirt with portions off said strand overlapping, applying a patch ofcementitious material upon the lapping portions of said strand, andapplying a second patch of cementitious material upon the first Batchapplied after the latter has set or ardened.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. r

OLOF N. TEVANDER.

